Chap. XL MODE OF BUILDINa. 219 



Soon after others came and closed up the cell. The 

 earth which they eat can be seen shining through the 

 thin skins of their bodies, but I was unable to see 

 wliere it was stored in the interior of the edifice. 

 The mud is mixed with gluey matter, through the 

 digestion, when it is ejected, and with this material 

 the little creatures are enabled to build up the thin 

 tough walls which form their cells, and, in course of 

 time, the firm and solid structure of the entire nest. 

 Sun and rain are equally fatal to the white ants ; 

 thus it is necessary that they should build a hive 

 impervious to light, heat, and rain. 1 have put 

 white ants in the sun, and they were shortly after- 

 wards killed by its heat. I thought each cell was, 

 perhaps, inhabited only by one ant, but the great 

 number I saw in each mushroom-like edifice made it 

 quite improbable that it should be so. 



I believe these white ants of the prairie are quite a 

 different species from those which live in subterranean 

 dwellings, and which make their appearance suddenly 

 throuo'li the floor of one's hut and devour all sub- 

 stances made of cotton or paper ; these are very fond 

 of eating wood, and are often found in dead trees. 

 In these species, the sense of smell, or some other 

 sense equivalent to it, must be very acute. One may 

 retire to bed in fancied security, with no sign of 

 white ants about, and in the morning wake to find 

 little covered ways overspreading the floor and chests 

 of clothing and stores, and the contents of the chest 

 entirely destroyed, with thousands of the busy ants 

 engaged in cutting the things with their sharp jaw- 

 blades. Everything made of wool or silk is, how- 



